DU campus to reopen for offline classes from Feb 17
NEW DELHI: After remaining shut for most of the last two years due to the Covid-induced restrictions, the Delhi University will reopen for in-person classes from February 17, the university administration said on Wednesday, and added that all outstation students will have to undergo mandatory isolation for three days before they can enter their colleges.
The university was shut in March 2020 after the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. In-person practical sessions for thirdyear students resumed last year, but the university was shut again on account of the spike in cases in December.
The reopening of the campus was announced by DU proctor Rajni Abbi along with other DU officials in the backdrop of protests by various student organisations.
Abbi met the protesting students and handed over a written assurance to Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) officebearers, saying the campus was reopening.
In the order, the university advised outstation students to plan their travel in such a manner that they reach Delhi and complete a three-day isolation period before reporting to their respective colleges and departments. Along with classes, other facilities such as libraries, laboratories and canteens will also start functioning from Monday.
The university has also asked students, and its teaching and non-teaching staff, to get vaccinated at the earliest.
Various student political organisations such as AISA, ABVP, SFI, CYSS, which have been protesting to demand the reopening of the university, welcomed the decision.
Siddharth Yadav, ABVP’s national media convenor and Delhi state secretary, said the student outfit had been fighting for the last two years to get the campus reopened.
“We are glad that this fight has come to an end. It is a victory for every student of the university,” said Yadav.
Members of AISA said that the decision was a hard-fought victory of students.
“Finally, this ends the undue hardship faced by DU students due to the ineptitude of DU administration which has kept the university shut for almost two years and abdicated their responsibility completely,” AISA said in a statement.
During the protest on Tuesday, a student also tried to immolate himself, but was stopped by the police.
Abha Dev Habib, a teacher at Miranda House, said while students’ protests had compelled the university to notify reopening of the campus, the order did not offer the option of online classes to students who were nearing the end of their semester.
“Reopening could have been initiated for 4th and 6th-semester students, to start with. Given the fact that the 1st-semester students are going to see the end of their studies, they could have been allowed online classes for the remaining part of the semester, and to take an open book exam. They could have been asked to join in April second semester onwards,” said Habib.